Mental Health Awareness on the Rise in 2019

Mental Health Awareness on the Rise in 2019 According to some recent studies, as many as one in three Americans will experience some sort of mental health condition during the course of their lifetime. Because mental health issues are so common in the United States (and everywhere else around the world), finding effective and lasting treatment options needs to be made a national priority.

Unfortunately, mental health treatment has been largely stigmatized for quite some time.

Individuals who have had the courage to seek help for their conditions have often felt isolated and discouraged from pursuing further recovery options.

There is still a long way to go when it comes to the de-stigmatization of mental health treatment, but there has already been a significant amount of progress made. 2019 appears to be a very important year for mental health treatment centers for teens and other individuals across the country. Due to increased funding, research, and treatment options, overcoming previous barriers in the mental health community is now a very real possibility.

In this article, we will discuss the current state of mental health awareness in the year 2019. We will also discuss—whether you are an ally or someone suffering from a mental health condition—the many different ways that you can help contribute to moving the community forward. Though the total de-stigmatization of mental health will certainly not happen overnight, the progress that has already occurred ought to give people everywhere hope.

Helping Destigmatize Mental Health Treatment Anyone who suffered from a mental health disorder is familiar with the fear and uncomfortableness that comes with reaching out and getting help. People do not want to be looked down upon or burden those around them and, as a result, they may live with a condition for years that could have been effectively treated.

Overcoming the stigmas surrounding mental health has been an ongoing effort, but it appears that quite a bit of progress has already been made. In fact, according to seemingly every poll ever taken on the matter, people are more accepting of others getting mental health treatment than ever before. Individuals receiving treatment are less likely to be discriminated against or alienated by their peers, which makes the process of getting the treatment you need much less intimidating.

Even in the year 2019, there are still many ways you can help deconstruct these stigmas and provide those around you the support they need to recover: · Be willing to talk openly about mental health treatment—eventually, talking about mental healthcare will be as normal as talking about a regular trip to the dentist · Watch what you say—certain words (crazy, insane, retarded, weird, etc.) may seem casual to you at first, but using them to describe other people will have real-world consequences. Remembering the Golden Rule is a great way to check yourself. · Be compassionate—having a mental health disorder can sometimes be quite difficult. Treating others with kindness, patience, and empathy will help them feel less alienated by their condition. · Break down your own barriers—many people with mental health disorders have developed the habit of “self stigmatization.” Recognizing your own value, being honest with yourself, and finding victories in the little things will be very helpful over time.

Though some of these things may sound intuitive, they are often very easy to forget.

Making a conscious effort to be an ally of the mental healthcare community will enable you to be a valuable part of the solution.

Engaging Teenagers and Young Adults While collective consciousness and de-stigmatization has been occurring among all demographics, teenagers and young adults have been a significant part of the solution.

Teenagers are much more willing to talk about mental healthcare, contemporary health issues, and other related topics than the generations preceding them. As a result, if this progress continues, total de-stigmatization will eventually be possible.

In January 2019, a group of self-led teenagers in Michigan got together and were able to raise more than $34,000 for those suffering from mental health issues. While this project—referred to as “Key2Finesse”—is one of just many efforts to make mental healthcare more accessible, it is a clear demonstrator of our younger generations’ willingness to get involved.

Recognizing the Complex Relationship between Mental Health Disorders Statistically speaking, individuals who have already been diagnosed with one mental health disorder are the ones who are most likely to be diagnosed with another. Many mental health conditions are highly correlated with one another and, inevitably, the presence of each of these conditions will have a major impact on an individual’s wellbeing.

Because the “co-occurring” existence of mental health disorders is so common, psychologists have been actively looking for ways to address multiple problems at once.

For example, dual diagnosis is a practice that involves viewing the individual comprehensively and designing a highly personalized treatment plan. Usually one of these conditions will be a substance abuse disorder, though this will not always be the case. Regardless, these sorts of practices embody the community’s general commitment to providing personalized treatments capable of achieving lasting results.

Increasing Available Treatment Options The mental health treatment option that is best for one person may not be the one that works best for another. Because of this, having many different treatment options available will be necessary to assure that all individuals staying at mental health facilities for teens will have the highest probability of recovering.

Most treatment options are not mutually exclusive, meaning that treatment providers may use a unique blend of multiple modalities at once. · Cognitive Behavioral Treatments · Group Therapy and Individual Therapy Sessions · Somatic Experiencing · Experiential Treatment Options · Residential Treatment With more choices than ever before, the recovery process can be accelerated and also made much more effective.

Making Treatment More Available People of all ages, races, genders, and socioeconomic circumstances can suffer from mental health disorders. This means that—if we do really hope to make progress as a community—there will need to be an active effort to increase the reach of current services provided.

In addition to various legal efforts, many mental health treatment providers have sought to find new ways to make treatment available in economically alienated communities.

Being able to have costs significantly reduced or—at the very least—spread out over time makes it possible for those who need help to actually get it. Additionally, due to an increased emphasis on preventative treatment, many private and public insurance providers are increasing the amount of mental healthcare options available.

Conclusion The mental healthcare community is one that is constantly evolving. Even though we are still near the beginning of 2019, this year has already given hope to many people involved. As our collective willingness to deconstruct stigmas, improver treatment modalities, and extend the reach of mental healthcare continues, even more progress will be made. The future in the mental health community is very exciting—lasting solutions are well within reach.